CAIRO, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) — The Arab League (AL) on Sunday welcomed the admission of the African Union (AU) as a permanent member to the Group of 20 (G20), expressing hope that the pan-Arab organization would enjoy the same status.

In a statement, AL Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit welcomed the G20 leaders’ decision on AU’s entry into the group. On Saturday, G20 members agreed to grant permanent membership to the AU in an effort to make the group more representative. 

The agreement was reached at the inaugural session of the two-day G20 summit held in New Delhi, India, during the weekend. Aboul-Gheit hailed the decision as a “positive step” that will lead to mutual gains for both sides and strengthen African countries’ role in global economic development. 

He stressed that this step will enhance Africa’s ability to contribute to solving pivotal global issues such as climate change, energy security, food security, and other issues. The AL chief also hoped the Arab League’s request to join the G20 would be approved.